


The Whole Tooth

by Liadt



Category: Rising Damp (TV)
Genre: Dentists, Established Relationship, M/M, Toothache, tooth infection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:36:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21733243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liadt/pseuds/Liadt
Summary: Rigsby has toothache and Alan is trying to persuade him to go to the dentist's.
Relationships: Rupert Rigbsy/Alan Moore (Rising Damp)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	The Whole Tooth

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the episode 'Suddenly at Home' where Rigsby is describing how brave he was at the dentist's and Alan knows what actually happened. But how did he know?

“You’re just scared, you are,” said Alan. He was sat next to Rigsby at his kitchen table.

“I am not!” Rigsby held a packet of frozen peas to his cheek.

“They won’t help, y’know.”

“What am I supposed to do? You told me it was dangerous to take more painkillers than it said on the box.”

“I also told you if the painkillers weren’t having an effect to go to the dentist.”

“I can’t go to the dentist.”

“Why not?”

“It’s, well,” stuttered Rigsby trying to think of an excuse.

“See, you’re scared!”

Rigsby put his hand up to wave away Alan’s accusation. “Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s these NHS dentists; they get paid for every tooth they extract.”

“You’re getting confused with the tooth fairy. You’ve not been mixing pills with alcohol to numb the pain have you?” Alan put a hand to Rigsby’s forehead in concern and stared into his eyes to check his pupils.

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” said Rigsby, pushing his hand away. “And they do get paid by the tooth. If I go in for one, they’ll take the whole lot.”

“Why isn’t everyone wearing false gnashers then?”

“They’re not stupid, they stick to kids on their first set and those who are, ahem, over a certain age,” said Rigsby meaning himself.

“Don’t be silly, you’re not that old.”

“At last he says something nice to me in my suffering.”

“You’ve got another year before your teeth reach the dentist’s old codger use by date.”

“Hey!” Rigsby chucked the packet of peas at Alan’s head. Alan ducked and the peas flew past.

“I didn’t want to tell you this in case you freaked out, but you should get your tooth checked out. If it’s an abscess the infection could spread and you could die of blood poisoning.”

“Oh, my God!” Rigsby felt his own forehead in case it could tell him if he was at death‘s door.

“It can be treated with modern antibiotics. You’d be a gonna in the 1920’s, there was this promising Hollywood film director with toothache and he left it too late.”

“Yes, yes, I’ve got the message, oh, angel of death.”

“So will you go to the dentist?”

“I’ll have to now. I was going to wait and see if it would heal of its own accord. I’m not one of the younger generation who can’t cope with a little pain,” claimed Rigsby, even though he’d been complaining about the pain all week.

“I’ll come with you into the dentist’s room.”

“I’m not a child. I don’t need my hand holding.”

“As a medical student, I’m interested in seeing what dentists do. They’d let me in if you said I could watch. The dentist wouldn't take all your teeth out if I’m there to keep an eye on them,” said Alan coming up with a reason to allow Rigsby to accept his support without denting his macho dignity and then ruining the effect by reaching across to squeeze his hand reassuringly.

“Alright, but only to stop you from worrying,” said Rigsby, keeping up his pretense of not being terrified of the dentist whatsoever.


End file.
